TODAY, Team Guyana begin the defense of their title when a group of our most talented junior squash players take to the courts in the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Caribbean Junior Squash Championships in Jamaica. The group, which includes several junior champions, departed Guyana yesterday morning for Jamaica for the seven days of action.
However, the players left these shores in two groups because of the unavailability of flights, with the first batch departing on Monday morning while the second left yesterday afternoon.
Prior to the final batch’s departure, they met with the press at the Georgetown Club, where the manager of the squad and former national and Caribbean champion Garfield Wiltshire said the locals stand a very good chance of retaining the title which they had won seven times in a row.
The former squash king said that while he feels that all of the players are in top form and are expected to do well, he would be surprised if Ashley DeGroot and the female team captain, Mary Fung-a-Fat, failed to reach the final.
Wiltshire pointed out that the male team captain, Jason Ray Khalil, along with Jean-Claude Jeffrey and Nyron Joseph, is expected to do quite well.
His views were shared by president of the Guyana Squash Racquets Association (GSRA) Roger Arjoon, who is also confident that the local racquet-wielders would come out successful, even as he showered praised on the efforts shown by physical trainer, Kezqweyah Yisrael in moulding the team to a high level of fitness.

Girls’ team: Rebecca Low, Taylor Fernandes, Larissa Wiltshire, Victoria Arjoon, Akeila Wiltshire, Ashley DeGroot and Mary Fung-A-Fat.

Boys’ team: Shomari Wiltshire, Ben Mekdeci, Patrick Fraser, Nyron Joseph, Jean-Claude Jeffrey, Steven Xavier and Jason Ray Khalil. The team coach is Carl Ince and his assistant coach is Tiffany Solomon, while Wiltshire will have the services of Deje Dias as the assistant manager.
Meanwhile, several junior players who were overlooked for the team championships will comprise the team battling for individual honours. Those players are: Daniel and Anthony Islam, Sarah Lewis, Andrew Peroune, Alec Melville and Gabrielle Fraser and this group is also confident of keeping the Golden Arrowhead aloft.